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5N@ M5551.) H. H. BAKER, J1".

BILLET IRON.

No. 551,484. Patented Deo. 17, 1595.

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VMTN assis-z ANDREW ELGRAMAM. MMO-mno wASnIN 610MB C UNITED STATES PATENT trice.

HENRY ll. BAKER, JR., OF BUFFALO, NEWT YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONF-HALF TO HARVEY D. BLAKESLEE, OF SAME PLACE.

BILLET-IRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 551,484, dated December 17, 1895.

Application filed April 25, 1895. Serial No. 547,088. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY ll. BAKER, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Butt'alo, in the county of Erie and State otNew York, have invented a new and useful lmprovement in Line-Billets and Billet-Irons, of which the, following is a specification.

This invention relates to the billet-irons which are embedded in the end portions or billets of driving-reins for stiiening the same.

Heretofore the buckle which receives the line or rein billet has been attached to the rein by a chape sewed to the surface oi the rein.

My invention has for its object to utilize the billet-iron as an attachment for the buckle as well as a stiitener for the billet, thereby dispensing with the customary chape and saving the time incident to sewing the same to the rein.

ln the aecompanyin g drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a line-billet provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is an inverted perspective view of the billet-iron detached from the billet, showing the iron in the straight forni in which it is inserted between the strap layers of the billet. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the billet. Fig. l is a cross-section in line l l, Fig. 3, showing the means of tastening the billetdoop.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several iigures.

A represents the billet forming the usual continuation of the drivii1grei1i, B the buckle which receives the billet, and C the loop in which the end of the billet is confined.

D is the billet-iron, the body or main portion of which is embedded between the strap layers of the billet, as shown in Fig. 3, the front portion of the iron being bent to con forni to the bight of the billet in the Vusual manner. The billet-iron is formed on its under side, near its rear end, with a transverse indentation or depression, forming a raised eye or bearin g f which projects above the surface of the rein or billet and which receives the inner crossbar oi. the buckle B, said bearing being provided. with. a central slot for the eye of the buckle-tongue, as shown in Figs. l and The angular portion j" which forms the front side of the eye or bearing f extends outward through a transverse slit g formed in the upper layer of the rein or billet, as shown in Fig. 3, through which slit the billete iron is inserted between the strap layers in 55 the straight form shown in Fig. 2. The billet-iron extends rearwardly from the eye or bearing f, forming a flat extension d arranged on the outside oi? the rein and parallel with the body of the iron, but raised above the plane of the body, shown in Fig. 3, so as to render the rein substantially flat or free from oitsets on both sides. The extension d terminates in a spur or spurs h which project substantially at right angles to the extension and penetrate the layers of the rein, the spurs being clinched on the rear side of the rein, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby the rear end of the billetfiron is securely fastened to the rein and the buckle is reliably coniinod in its eye or bearing. By thus utilizing the billet-iron as a means of attaching the buckle to the rein or billet and fastening the rear end of the iron in the manner shown and described, an economy in the use of leather is not only effected but considerable time is saved, as the spurs of my improved billet-iron can be passed through the rein and clinched in much less time than is required to sew a chape to the rein.

The lower or inner portion of the leather billet-loop is confined between the extension of the billet-iron and the adjacent face of the rein. The ends ot this loop, instead of being sewed together as is the common practice, are 8 5 preferably disconnected and held in place between the billet-iron extension and the rein by spurs or barbs i, formed at the lateral edges of said extension and penetrating the end portions of the leather loop, shown in Fig. 4. This means of attaching the loop avoids stitching and thus effects a material saving in time.

My improved billet-iron with the buckleeye and end and side spurs may be formed complete from a single piece of malleable iron or sheet metal and the same can, therefore, be manufactured at small cost.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination with a laminated rein or billet having its upper or inner layer provided with a transverse slit, of a billet iron IOO embedded between the layers of the rein and provided near its rear end with a transverse eye or bearing projecting above the surface of the rein, between said bearing and the body of the billet iron with an angular connecting portion which passes through the slit of the upper layer of the rein and at its rear end with a fastening device whereby the rear portion of the billet iron is secured to the rein, and a buckle having its inner cross bar confined in said eye or bearing, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a laminated rein or billet having its upper or inner layer provided With a transverse slit, of a billet iron embedded between the layers of the rein and provided near its' rear end with a transverse eye or bearing projecting above the surface of the rein, between said bearing and the body of the billet iron With an angular connecting portion which passes through the slit of the upper layer of the rein, and at its rear end With a prong or spur which penetrates the layers of the rein, and a buckle having its inner cross bar confined in said eye or bearing substantially as set forth.

3. A billet iron consisting of a narrow bar provided on its under side near its rear end with a transverse indentation forming an eye adapted to receive the Gross bar of a buckle, at its rear end with a spur adapted to penetrate the driving rein and at its lateral edges between said eye and said end spur with barbs adapted to penetrate the end portions of a loop inserted between the billet iron and the driving rein, substantially as set forth.

et. The lcombination with a rein or billet, of a billet iron having its main or body portion embedded between the layers of the rein or billet and provided near its rear end with a transverse eye or bearing projecting above the surface of the rein, at its rea-r end with a spur or spurs which penetrate the layers of the rein and at its lateral edges between said eye and said end-spurs with barbs, a buckle having its inner cross bar coniined in said eye` and a leather loop having its end portions inserted between the rein and the exposed rear portion of the billet iron and penetrated by the lateral barbs of the billet iron7 substantially as set forth.

fitness my hand this 12th day of April. i895.

HENRY il. BAKER, JR.

Witnesses CARL F. GEYER, ELLA R. DEAN, 

